The sari-inspired gown changed colours based on the wearer's personality

The IBM installation at the Vogue Women of the Year Awards

The sari-gown in all its glory

The technology

Couturier Gaurav Gupta

Philanthropist Natalia Vodianova

Actress Kriti Sanon

Author and TV Host Padma Lakshmi

Director & Producer Kiran Rao

This year marks Vogue India’s 10th anniversary. To commemorate the milestone moment, we hosted our first ever Vogue Women of The Year (WOTY) awards, in September. The ceremony celebrated strong, independent women (and men) who have broken glass ceilings and achieved everything and more.

This occasion also marked a new era in fashion as augmented intelligence (AI) took center stage at the event, courtesy Watson on IBM Cloud. Designer Gaurav Gupta, created a cognitive sari-gown that was embedded with colour changing LEDs powered by IBM IoT (Internet of Things). This sari was worn by the host of the evening, Archie Punjabi.

Tech forwardThe sari-gown hybrid was designed to change colours based on each award winner’s personality using Watson’s Personality Insights API. So, when each winner went up on stage to collect their trophy, the sari glowed in the colours that was most relevant to his/her personality.

This was done through analysing each winner’s personality with the help of their social media handles, which was mapped against seven dominant human traits such as effectiveness in organising thoughts, open-mindedness and originality, confidence in problem solving, action orientation, conscientiousness, openness to possibilities and alternatives and social energy.

All about the experienceAll the guests who attended Vogue’s Women of The Year Awards also had the chance to experiment with this technology. Gupta and IBM Watson’s futuristic creation was used as an interactive art installation at the event.

Attendees found the colour that best described them by entering their Twitter handle or by picking a star from a pre-populated list of famous Indian women. Using the same colour mapping technology, the sari changed colours at this interactive booth based on that participant’s personality.

Scroll through a slideshow to get a glimpse of the custom-built IBM x Gaurav Gupta gown from the Vogue Women of the Year Awards.